Buying used car with short mot

arcon5

When did you buy it?

sweetsand

macman said:

The usual request: give us some context! Vehicle, year, mileage, price paid?
All the MOT tells you is that it was safe to drive 9 months ago, not for the next 3. And it tells you nothing about the condition of non-safety related components: engine, clutch, gearbox, etc.

If I may add, electricals and they can be a nightmare.
I've heard people often say, great its got a years mot - one needs to look at the whole conditon, road worhtiness of the car.
Ideally buying from a dealer should be a years mot but most of the minior and the lower brand dealers won't do that if  you don't ask most go by 3 months I think unless you ask as part of the deal.
If you drive daily and dow more than 30 miles of mixed driving, most of the faults will show up, be noted within the first few days if you are aware of what is what to some extent.

sweetsand

arcon5 said:

When did you buy it?

arcon5 said:

When did you buy it?

Is that really a helpful question?
A car should be in very good order regardless of if you drive onece a day, week or month, you have paid for a item that should be roadworthy for at least several mohts before even anyhting minor appears EG, new tyres, brakes to name a couple.

AdrianC

sweetsand said:

arcon5 said:

When did you buy it?

Is that really a helpful question?
A car should be in very good order regardless of if you drive onece a day, week or month, you have paid for a item that should be roadworthy for at least several mohts before even anyhting minor appears EG, new tyres, brakes to name a couple.

The question is what responsibility the vendor has.

And if this is a cheap-px-to-clear, then it's a very different question to if it's a <4yo approved-used.

shaun_from_Africa

sweetsand said:

arcon5 said:

When did you buy it?

arcon5 said:

When did you buy it?

Is that really a helpful question?

Yes, and a very relevant question.
If the OP bought the car a day or two ago then the dealer may be willing to take it in and give it a free MOT test. If however they've had it a few weeks, the dealer won't have any idea of what's been done to it or how it's been driven or looked after since they sold it so getting them to agree to do something on a goodwill basis may be a lot harder.

Jumblebumble

maureendewick1966 said:

Bought a used car from Perry's only 3 month mot all Male workmates telling me should have had a year on may not be safe where do I stand 

I have always personally taken the view that one should be prepared for the value of a  car with a short MOT being worth £100 mixed metals down at the crusher.
This is especially true now that some cars have not been MOTed for approaching 18 months